1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method of transmitting a broadcast program selection control signal, and controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance such as a television receiver, whereby viewing-restriction grades are set for broadcast programs and the programs are selectively viewed in accordance with the set viewing-restriction grades.
2. Description of the Related Art
Diverse broadcast programs are produced and infiltrate into modern civilization with the popularity of information and communication. Such broadcast programs are aired for viewing by everyone regardless of their viewing classes.
Particularly, unsound programs pertaining to violence and sexuality, or all kinds of advertising programs harming the viewers--mental health are aired without restriction. Thus, anyone can view those programs through the video appliances under unrestricted conditions.
Currently, no systematic or technical measures are available to prevent children or juveniles from viewing such programs containing unsound contents without restriction. This tends to decay social culture and harm mental health of the children and juveniles.
It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems, and to provide an apparatus and method for transmitting a broadcast program selection control signal for a video appliance whereby viewing-restriction grades are net for a broadcast program and a control signal for controlling selective viewing of the broadcast program is transmitted along with the broadcast signal, thereby restricting the viewing of the broadcast program in dependence upon the set viewing-restriction grades.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance, whereby the broadcast program can be selectively viewed in accordance with the viewing-restriction qrades determined by a broadcast program selection control signal which is received along with the broadcast signal.
To achieve the above objects, in one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for transmitting a broadcast program selection control signal for a video appliance, comprising:
a programming and editing section for producing and editing a program to be broadcasted by a broadcasting station; PA1 a program control section for appending the broadcast program selection control signal to the broadcast program produced and edited by the programming and editing section in accordance with predetermined viewing-restriction grades; PA1 a signal synthesizing and modulating section for synthesizing and modulating the broadcast program signal and the control signal outputted from the program control section to be suitable for being transmitted; and PA1 a transmitting section for transmitting the modulated broadcast program signal and control signal outputted from the signal synthesizing and modulating section through a transmitting antenna. PA1 programming and editing a broadcast program; PA1 appending the broadcast program selection control signal to the broadcast program in accordance with predetermined viewing-restriction grades; PA1 synthesizing and modulating the broadcast program signal and the control signal so an to be suited for transmission; and PA1 transmitting the modulated broadcast program signal and control signal. PA1 a receiving section for receiving a modulated broadcast program signal through a receiving antenna; PA1 a control signal receiving section for receiving a broadcast program selection control signal simultaneously transmitted with the modulated broadcast program signal; PA1 a determining section for determining viewing-restriction grades, the determining section including a coding section for qualifying a particular person to determine the viewing-restriction grades, and a viewing grade determining and releasing section for the particular person's determining and releasing of the viewing-restriction grades; PA1 a discriminating section for discriminating the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program by comparing the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program with that determined by the determining section; PA1 a control section for determining whether to admit the viewing of the received broadcast program in accordance with a discrimination result from the discriminating section; and PA1 a video/audio output section for outputting the video and audio signals of the broadcast program under the control of the control section.
In another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of transmitting a broadcast program selection control signal for a video appliance, comprising the steps of:
In still another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance, comprising: